


The Craving for Salt

by CoffeeWithConsequences



Category: Think of England - K. J. Charles
Genre: M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Pain, Painful Sex, Rimming, Rough Sex, Sex, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 04:07:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14536281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoffeeWithConsequences/pseuds/CoffeeWithConsequences
Summary: The trouble with a long-term lie, or even a long-term omission, is that if you can’t make it true to yourself, you will eventually forget to make it true to someone else. Lying and omission were Daniel’s bread and butter, but when he was with Archie, he wasn’t at work (mostly). And so, eventually, he forgot.After hiding it from Archie for months, Daniel finally comes clean about something he's been hiding.





	The Craving for Salt

**Author's Note:**

> Another attempt in K.J. Charles' world! I make no claims of quality, but I was thinking about the potential issues Archie and Daniel might face early in their relationship and this is what surfaced.

On the occasions on which they shared a bed all night (fewer than either of them would like), Daniel rarely awakened before Archie. At some point, the late sleeping he’d taken on as part of his cultivated persona, separating Daniel da Silva, respectable Jewish locksmith’s son full of hidden desires, from Daniel da Silva, effete poet and dago spy, had stuck. Being up late and then lying in suited Daniel. Archie’s military discipline was a far harder habit to shake, so he’d often been awake for hours by the time Daniel rose.

Though not intentionally constructed this way, their rising patterns allowed Daniel to continue subterfuge that would otherwise prove more difficult. Since Archie so rarely watched when Daniel rose, Daniel never had to hide the wincing and shuffling that often accompanied his first steps out of bed.

It wasn’t as if Daniel was new to being buggered. It wasn’t even as if Archie’s was the first exceptionally large cock for which he’d made room. In the past, he’d even sometimes made a bit of a show out of his morning-after soreness, eliciting either barbs (not desirable, but familiar) or the occasional show of post-coital caretaking (desirable, especially if it ended with his cock being sucked). With Archie, though, all of Daniel’s instincts screamed to hide his discomfort as much as possible, up to and including using his mouth as a distraction when Archie seemed set on a second round too soon after a rigorous first one.

Keeping things hidden was Daniel’s nature, so at first, he didn’t much think about why he didn’t want Archie to notice when he woke up sore and swollen. Over time, though, he worked it out despite himself. If Archie knew he was hurting Daniel, he’d feel he had done something wrong. If Archie knew he was hurting Daniel, he’d stop. And, more than anything, Daniel did not want Archie to stop.

The trouble with a long-term lie, or even a long-term omission, is that if you can’t make it true to yourself, you will eventually forget to make it true to someone else. Lying and omission were Daniel’s bread and butter, but when he was with Archie, he wasn’t at work (mostly). And so, eventually, he forgot.

It was a morning like any other. They’d worked a long night before, tailing a numbingly boring mark and gaining nothing by their efforts. By the time they returned to Archie’s rooms, Daniel could see the cloud of pent-up energy swirling around Archie, seeking release. They’d been at this long enough now it took just a tiny push, nothing more than a single smirked comment, one sly smile, and Archie was on him, tearing away at clothes, pushing his thighs apart, making only the most perfunctory preparations before pushing past the muscle of Daniel’s resistance and deep into his body.

Daniel loved it. He’d always been partial to a hard fuck, and, as he appreciated aloud often and at length, the size of the tool with which Archie worked made it possible for him to hit spots Daniel had previously been unsure existed. There were consequences, of course, but Daniel was more than happy to pay them, and if he occasionally wished Archie would take a bit more care with readiness, it was nothing more than a fleeting thought.

Daniel wasn’t sure, later, what kept the disciplined Captain Curtis in bed so late that particular morning. He wasn’t ill and hadn’t been injured. It may simply have been the weather, endless rain slamming into the shuttered windows, or the chill in the room, the fire having gone low. It may have been Daniel’s own casualness toward the hours he kept finally breaking down Archie’s good habits. Whatever it was, Archie was awake, but still propped against his pillows, watching with fond, warm eyes, when Daniel rose. He was watching still when Daniel immediately hissed with pain and sat back down on the edge of the bed.

“Daniel?” Archie’s fond eyes turned concerned. “What’s wrong? Were you injured?” His brow creased, obviously trying to recall when Daniel may have been hurt during their work the night before. There hadn’t been any conflict.

Daniel smiled and attempted to brush it off. “Not at all,” he said. “Just a bit of a back twinge upon standing.” He rose again, setting his jaw against the spikes of pleasure-fused pain he knew were coming as he stepped forward. He managed to stay on his feet this time, but, watching closely as he now was, there was no way Archie would miss the tension in his face or the delicacy of his steps as he moved toward the washroom.

Well-mannered as always, Archie waited until they were both dressed and sitting across from one another at the breakfast table before he spoke of it again. “Why did you wake in pain?” He peered at Daniel closely, making it clear he wasn’t intending to be put off again. “And why did you lie about it?” Archie didn’t precisely look angry--still more concerned than anything--but Daniel knew him well enough now to know that he wasn’t as far from it as he might seem. Archie didn’t appreciate being lied to.

Daniel sighed and considered his options. He could almost certainly come up with some explanation that would convince Archie, but to what end? Would he remember to hide his wince the next time Archie slept late? Maybe a careful tread around the truth would better serve. “It’s really nothing to speak of,” he said smoothly, his eyes focused on the toast he was buttering. “Bit sore after last night. It happens sometimes.” When he glanced up, it was to find Archie frowning in confusion.

“We didn’t have to fight or run or anything…?” Archie’s expression still teetered between skepticism and dismay.

Daniel couldn’t help a tiny chuckle. Right. Subtlety wasn’t his lover’s strong suit. “Not the work part of last night,” he said, allowing his eyes to grow momentarily hot and meet Archie’s. “The part when we got back here.”

Archie’s confusion cleared then, replaced with raised eyebrows and pinkened cheeks. “You mean...I hurt you?”

This was exactly what Daniel wanted to avoid. “No, of course not,” he soothed. “I can just feel it a bit still, is all.” He grinned, showing a sharp glint of teeth. “You can’t think to wield that thing with no effect.”

Archie’s blush deepened, but Daniel’s attempt at jest didn’t hit. “What did I do to hurt you, exactly?” He swallowed hard. “I shan’t do it again.”

“You most certainly will!” Daniel countered. “Any pain afterward is more than worth it.”

Archie frowned. “Was it just last night, or has this happened before?”

Again, Daniel’s instinct was to lie. But they’d been down that road already, more than once, and Archie had made it clear he wanted--he damned well demanded--the truth. “Yes.” Daniel raised a hand to cut Archie off as he started to speak again. “But it is really not of any consequence to me.”

“It’s of consequence to me!” Archie’s voice was going up now, his agitation growing. “How often have I hurt you?”

Daniel hid his smile, reminding himself, again, that no matter how well he took to it, this was still all new to Archie. Daniel’s was the only male body Archie had ever breached with that magnificent thing, and Archie’s own body hadn’t ever been invaded that way. The position of tutor to the newly inverted wasn’t one Daniel relished, but in this situation, it could hardly be avoided. He searched a moment for where to begin. “Archie, there is simply no polite way to put this. When one is buggered, there is always some level of discomfort involved.” He smiled in a way he hoped was reassuring. “And when the bugger is packing what you are, that discomfort is likely increased. Which is absolutely worth it.”

Archie frowned, dissatisfied. “So if I were smaller…”

“Don’t even say such a thing!” Daniel interrupted.

Archie’s frown deepened, as did his blush. “Am I so...unusual?”

Daniel bit his lips to keep from smiling. “Am I correct in assuming you’ve only seen a few cocks in your lifetime?”

Archie scowled and nodded. “We can’t all be so worldly as you.”

Daniel elected to let that pass. “Have any of the members you’ve seen been near the size of your own?”

“Well,” Archie considered. “No. I mean, yours is quite a bit small-”

Daniel cut him off. “That’s quite enough of that. Yes. My point.” He met Archie’s miserable gaze. “You, my dear, are hung like the proverbial horse. And yes, I would have less discomfort with someone much smaller. I would also have considerably less pleasure. It’s my feeling that this way works out much better.”

Archie appeared mollified, but not convinced. “Is it just when you first rise, or does it still pain you now?”

This time, the lie had nearly passed Daniel’s lips before he bit it back. “It does still hurt,” he admitted. “It likely will for a day or two. But really, Archie, I don’t mind. I...I kind of like it.”

Archie had clearly stopped listening. “A day or two?” His voice was growing louder again. “Every time I…” he still couldn’t say it.

Daniel said it for him, growing exasperated with the whole business. “Yes. Every time you fuck me, it’s sore for a day or two. Does this really need to be made an issue?”

Watching the change in Archie’s face, Daniel was immediately sorry he’d given up on his attempt at delicacy. Archie had begun to look a bit peaked. “I’ve been hurting you, regularly, for months, and you haven’t said anything?”

“There’s been nothing to say,” Daniel replied, trying to make his voice calm and measured. “I like it. I don’t want you to stop.”

Archie was quiet a moment, and Daniel dared hope the entire matter could be dropped. He wasn’t so lucky. “I want to see,” Archie said, finally.

Daniel frowned. “You want to see what?”

“The damage.” Archie’s face was set. “I want to see what I’ve caused and then figure out how to do it better.”

Daniel nearly rolled his eyes. “Archie, far be it from me to refuse you any part of my body you’d like to inspect. But this is not a matter of doing it better. I assure you that I am very, very pleased with how you do it now. And if you decide to start going easy, for fear of my delicate arse, I shall be considerably less pleased.”

Archie wasn’t listening. He’d already risen and started back toward the bedroom. Sighing, Daniel got up and followed him.

Daniel lay nude on his stomach, his cock hardening just at being naked in Archie’s bed. There was not much left under the sun that made Daniel feel shy, but the feeling he had, hearing Archie settle in behind him and strip off the leather glove he habitually wore on his mangled hand, knowing Archie was about to inspect the most intimate part of his body, was as close as he could imagine coming. He remained still, waiting.

Archie’s fingers were never quite gentle. They intended to be, and he wasn’t clumsy, but Archie tended toward hurried, heated exploration. Now they were nearly still they moved so slowly, warm and sure, floating over Daniel’s skin like a mouthful of brandy. Archie’s thumbs ran first down the sides of his arse, moving over the muscles and smoothing the skin. Then he brought them in, one to each side of Daniel’s cleft, repeating the motion. Daniel forced his breath to evenness. He wasn’t certain if the effect Archie was having was intentional or not.

Finally, Archie gently pulled his cheeks apart, exposing what Daniel knew to be a swollen and angry pucker of flesh, still stretched from the night before.

Archie inhaled sharply. Daniel nearly spoke, but bit his lip and waited. When one tentative thumb brushed over his hole, so lightly he might have imagined it, he gasped, moving automatically toward the touch.

“I’m sorry,” Archie whispered. “Does that hurt?”

“No,” Daniel insisted, hitching himself up a bit more in search of Archie’s hand. “God, no.” The thumb brushed over him again.

“How do I soothe you?” The question was sincere, and asked with such heart that, were he a different kind of man, Daniel might have risen up and taken his shamefaced lover in his arms. He knew Archie, though, and knew Archie’s need to make right any wrong he felt he’d done. It was also uttered with Archie’s big hands still holding Daniel open, with Daniel hard and nude, pressing himself into sheets that smelled of the both of them together.

“Your tongue,” Daniel finally said, his voice already tight. It wasn’t something he’d asked of Archie before, or done for him. Archie was still skittish so much of the time, it seemed best to wait before introducing that option. But lying here, sore and open and wanting, it was all Daniel could think.

Archie stilled. “My…tongue? Oh. OH.”

Daniel started to backtrack. “You don’t have to, I didn’t me…” But he was stopped mid-word, the hot, sudden press of Archie’s tongue shocking him first to silence, then to noises he barely recognized as his own.

Once Archie had his mind to something, he wasn’t likely to be stopped. So it was that Daniel found himself, for a second time in twelve hours or so, lying underneath his Viking, completely spent. He’d ended up rubbing himself off against the sheets, overwhelmed by the persistent slide of Archie’s mouth on him, any discomfort far from his mind.

Once his breath and sense returned, Daniel turned to face Archie, who lay beside him now, still fully dressed. His champion, much-discussed that morning, saluted proudly from under his trousers. Daniel moved toward him, meaning to free it, but Archie stopped him with a hand. “No. We’re not done talking.”

Daniel frowned. “So the interlude with your tongue in my arse was just...intermission?”

Archie blushed, as Daniel knew he would, but wasn’t distracted. “I don’t like that you let me hurt you. I don’t like that you didn’t tell me.” He forced Daniel to meet his gaze. “And if there is truly no way to do it as we have been, without that happening,” he made a vague gesture toward Daniel’s body, “then we simply will have to do it another way.”

Daniel sat up, forcing himself not to wince this time, and grasped Archie’s hands. “You’re not listening to me,” he said. If you’re really worried about hurting me, we can do more preparation and use more oil, and that will help. But really, Archie, I’m going to be extraordinarily put-out if you resist fucking me out of some sort of chivalry, so let me be absolutely plain. I love you fucking me. I don’t want to do it another way. I want your fantastic tool inside me, as hard and as often as I can get it.”

Archie’s cock responded, clearly and with interest, but Archie was quiet. He still looked troubled. Daniel continued. “You have to let go of everything you thought you knew about treating people well, about how pleasure works, about how making love works,” he said. “Let go of all that and listen to what I am telling you. You’re what I want. You, as you are right now, with your rough fingers and your massive prick and your newly amazing tongue. It’s more than me not caring when you hurt me a bit, it’s me wanting that hurt, because it’s part of what comes from you, and I want everything that comes from you.” He considered a moment, then continued. “I hid being sore from you, because I knew you’d want to stop it. And I don’t want you to stop.”

It took a moment, but Archie didn’t sound angry when he finally replied. “You have to tell me the truth,” he said. “If I’ve hard used you, I want to know. I want to...help make it feel better.” He colored again, but continued. “I will try not to worry about hurting you unless you tell me I should, but I have to rely on you to be honest for that to work.” He looked at Daniel. “Can you do that?”

Daniel thought for a moment. Archie knew what he was asking, that this was another chink in what was fast becoming a purely decorative wall around Daniel’s heart and mind. “Yes,” he said, finally. “I can be honest.”

Archie smiled, his first full smile of the morning. “Good. Now, I have another question.”

Daniel braced himself, having no idea what was coming next.

“Do you do it the other way?”

Daniel frowned, unsure what Archie was asking. “Do what? What other way?”

“The...fucking.”

Daniel raised his eyebrows. “You mean, do I give as well as receive?”

Archie nodded, looking down to try to contain his embarrassment.

“I have,” Daniel replied. “I can.”

“Do you like to?”

“Sometimes.” Daniel shrugged. “Mostly, I’m better suited to the recipient role. But I’m not opposed.” He tilted his head. “Why? You surely can’t…”

“I should try it,” Archie answered, his jaw set. “I should know what it’s like.”

Daniel shook his head. “My sweet Viking. This is not a case of a master doing a task so he’ll know what he is asking of his servant. I am giving you no gift. I do it because I want it. In this as in all things, I remain slavishly devoted to my own satisfaction.” He moved toward Archie and laid one hand against his chest, feeling the quickness of his heartbeat under his shirt. “If you want to try it, because you may find pleasure in it, we can talk about that. But I’m not going to bugger you so you’ll feel we’re even. That’s not how this works.”

“What if I’m just curious?” Archie was forcing himself to maintain eye contact now, Daniel knew. Stubborn.

“Then, by all means, we should quench your curiosity,” Daniel replied. “But you have to promise that if you don’t like it, that won’t make you assume that I don’t like it either. Once again, you can be certain that I do.” He stuck his hand out mockingly. “Deal?”

Archie smiled and took his hand to shake. “Deal.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please come visit me on [Tumblr](https://coffeewithconsequences.tumblr.com/) or read the rest of my fic here at [Archive of Our Own](http://archiveofourown.org/users/CoffeeWithConsequences/works)!


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